Learning How to Smile
by Sushi Chi
Summary: Merlin hates Valentine's Day and Arthur wants to be supportive.  Modern Day AU Arthur/Merlin


**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. This saddens me.**  
**A/N: My first Merlin fic (that's been finished and posted - I have finished a cracktastic fairytale fic but I haven't posted it for reasons unknown to me). It's a Valentine's Day fic. I hope you like it and all that jazz.**

Merlin tapped the other side of the table in front of the chair, keeping his eyes on Arthur. Nodding to the unvoiced request, Arthur sat down in the seat and looked at his boyfriend with a raised eyebrow.

"It's February." Merlin stated.

"Indeed, Merlin. I'm proud of you for knowing the date." Arthur said with a slight sarcastic drawl.

Merlin ignored him, "It's going to be our first Valentine's Day together." He paused, "And I need to put out a few guidelines." Arthur sighed. He'd dated both men and women during this time of the year and they all would want him to go extravagant. After all, he could afford their dream Valentine's. He wondered what Merlin's dream was.

Merlin pointed at him, "You will not speak of that day. No mentioning the name or anything. I don't even want to hear about your friend Valiant during this time - his name is too similar. You are not to get me chocolates or sweets. No romantic dates or candles being lit unless the power is out. I don't want to see any heart shapes around the flat or the color red. God forbid pink. And I mean it." His eyes narrowed, "I don't even want you to wear red."

"But Merlin," Arthur started, "your bedding is red."

Merlin's eyes shut for a second, "Dammit. Okay. We're going to change them."

"And why, pray tell, do you hate Valentine's Day?" He couldn't help but ask.

Merlin gave him a look, "Oh come on, Arthur. I'll give you three guesses as too why but only the first one counts."

Arthur thought and thankfully it didn't take long for him to realize why, "You own a flower shop."

Merlin nodded, "Yeah. And starting about a week before the dreadful day, I will be working later and come home to pass out. I probably won't be doing much beside working and getting flowers ready for everyone so if you want to go bugger off and do something else go right ahead."

"So," Arthur said slowly, "Valentine's is the worst part of the year for you?"

"Pretty much." Merlin said. "I had just wanted to warn you. That way you don't get me a card, chocolates or anything. Especially flowers because I could see you giving me some as a joke."

Arthur nodded, he could imagine himself getting Merlin some flowers as a joke. Nothing more amusing then the face of a florist's when they get flowers. "Thanks for the warning then, Merlin."

And so it began.

Arthur had let himself into Merlin's flat, thinking that he'd be home a little late, he'd been surprised to find it empty. It was over an hour later that Merlin stumbled home. And true to his word, Arthur watched as Merlin did a head dive into his sofa.

"Bad day?" Arthur asked with a slight smirk pulling at his lips.

Merlin's response was muffled by a pillow, "I don't want to talk about it."

And Arthur found out that it grew worse yet. He wasn't at Merlin's each night, but he'd call him or something. With just a few days till Valentine's Day, Arthur let himself into Merlin's flat and entertained himself. It was around half eight that Merlin showed up.

Merlin didn't seem to see Arthur as he trudged through the room and lowered himself to his floor, mumbling something to himself.

Arthur raised his eyebrows and idly wondered if he just witnessed the death of his boyfriend. Nudging the form with his toes he asked, "You alive down there, _Mer_lin?" He was greeted with a guttural noise of indifference, "Fantastic. Now, have you ate?" This time a guttural noise on the negative side. "Shall I fix you something? How about some eggs and toast?" Arthur grinned at the guttural noise in the positive direction. "This will be a one time thing, you understand. I'm not your manservant." Another guttural noise of indifference.

That night Arthur all but tucked Merlin into bed that night. "Without me here taking care of you, you would've went to work with a sore neck tomorrow." He paused for a beat, "You should thank me."

Merlin rolled his eyes, "Yes, thank you. Because without you I wouldn't have ever gotten up off my floor."

"I do believe I hear sarcasm seeping through in your tone." He frowned. "I don't appreciate it."

Arthur spent the actual Valentine's Day not doing anything romantic. He was at Merlin's when his boyfriend came home and he had a frozen pizza ready. Merlin shared a smile with him and then they curled on the sofa and watched some Jeeves and Wooster. Arthur didn't pay much attention to the show, instead he was planning.

Two days later, Arthur had Merlin's flat all ready. He had spread rose petals all over the floor, a trail leading to the bedroom. Candles were lit so that no lights had to be on. He knew Merlin didn't want anything romantic on Valentine's Day, but it wasn't Valentine's anymore. Knowing that Merlin would be home any minute, he put on some music that wasn't all that romantic and sat in the bedroom, ready for his boyfriend.

Hearing the door open, Arthur had to bite down on some laughter at the curse words Merlin voiced. "Where did you get these flower petals?" Merlin's voice rang through the flat, "They're real and I know you didn't get them from my shop."

Moments later, Merlin appeared in the doorway to his bedroom. He'd been expecting the rose petal trail to lead to his bedroom and to his bed. Which it did. But he'd been expecting Arthur to be laying o his bed. Which he was. Merlin had been expecting Arthur to be undressed with some petals artistically arranged. And that would be romantic and this was not the time of year for romance.

Only Arthur wasn't undressed with some petals artistically arranged. Merlin laughed at the sight of a fully clothed Arthur sitting on the bed with Chinese food on the bed.

"What's all this then?" Merlin asked, sitting down and grabbing some chop sticks.

"It's a You Survived Valentine's Day Celebration." Arthur answered, "I've got a bath ready for you when we're done eating.

"A 'You Survived Valentine's Day Celebration'?" Merlin questioned.

"I thought you deserved one." Arthur shrugged. "So don't be expecting me doing all this on a regular basis. You're a _florist_. That is so much easier than managing a company and you never have a bath ready for me."

Merlin's brow furrowed, "I own my flower shop. It's _mine_."

"That doesn't matter. My company is much bigger. More stressful, you know." Arthur protested, "Running your shop is nothing like running my company, _Mer_lin."

"Prat." Merlin laughed. After sobering up for a second he said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Arthur said. "But you owe me."

"Owe you?" Merlin asked.

Nodding, Arthur answered, "I know for a fact that if you were to give me a massage while we're in the bath, I would appreciate it."

"So, it's celebrating the fact that _I_ survived yet _you_ get the massage?" Merlin questioned.

"I'll have you know," Arthur started, "throwing the petals around on the floor was hard work."

Merlin rolled his eyes, "Fine, whatever. Give me the extra egg roll and we've got a deal."

"Done." Arthur said with a grin.


End file.
